Contents

History

After Grandmaester Mellos passed away in 127 AC, Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen recommended to her father that her maester Gerardys take his place as Grandmaester. Queen Alicent however wanted Maester Alfador who served House Hightower named to the office. Viserys beset from both sides choose neither, reminding both his wife and daughter that the Citadel would decide who filled the office. Archmaester Orwyle was in the end selected by the conclave as the new Grandmaester.[2]

Dance of the Dragons

During the Dance of the Dragons, Orwyle pleaded with Aegon II to send him with terms of peace to Rhaenyra Targaryen, but he was initially refused. Eventually, he was dispatched to Dragonstone, where he spoke with Rhaenyra in favor of Aegon II. Rhaenyra refused to give up her claim. The war known as the Dance of the Dragons occurred afterwards. When Prince Aemond Targaryen decided to make Daemon Targaryen their priority, Orwyle was in favor of asking Storm's End for help, asking for caution, but Aemond proceeded with his plans. When Rhaenyra tookKing's Landing, Orwyle was tasked by Queen Alicent Hightower to send out ravens asking for help, but instead he was arrested in his chambers, and escorted to the black cells.[1] There, he wrote his account on the Dance of the Dragons, trying to paint himself in the best light possible, uncertain whether or not he would live.[3]

Notes

Elio Garcia explained:

George noted that his account was written up while he sat in a prison cell uncertain if he was going to end up executed or not and wanting to lay down "his side" of the story to try and paint himself in the best possible light. (Yep, Orwyle actually has quite an interesting little story that unfortunately we really had trim almost entirely out of the world book. Definitely will be one of the many highlights of Fire and Blood, IMO.[3]

Orwyle's prison-cell account of what happened was therefore probably slanted in Rhaenyra's favor, in contrast with how Septon Eustace's history was slanted in Aegon II's favor. Grand Maester Munkun then based his The Dance of the Dragons, A True Telling on Orwyle's already somewhat biased account.